News: 10 For the Chairman

10 for the Chairman - Episode 26
(Citizen Star News) - 2014-06-23 - Chris Roberts bobblehead helps to introduce today's 10 for the Chairman.



1:18 Q: With TNGS over, will we get an announcement about when and for how much the final ship will cost? With regards to its implementation, does CIG take over from the end of the competition to add physics and damage states of the vessel, or is that left to the team? TNGS Season 2?

A bunch of work that has to be done yet, going to be work with the finalist to do some of the finishing work and then take over when it's done. Prices are not set, yet. Commensurate to the cost of the ships. Top four at least are being considered. Season 2 is pretty likely, may have some changes.

3:38 Q: It's been mentioned that planets have a day night cycle,, but will planets have a seasonal cycle as well? E.g perhaps on planets that have a winter season, all the street markets close up during the season and certain goods stop being produced or are only acquirable in reduced quantities.

Good question for Tony - Director of Persistent Universe. Is being considered. (Note, Chris skipped over the obvious bit of whole planets not having a single season or climate.)

4:55 Q: How do you envision to two organizations going to war? How would they fight? What would they fight over? Can we make burning Mark Skelton's Golden Shirt of Artistic Power a stretch goal?

Org declare hostile to another. Are trying to add persistent pieces of real estate that orgs can fight for control over.

Chris jokes(?) about making the burning of Mark Skelton's shirt a $50 million stretch goal.

6:43 Q: I'm loving the DFM, thus far, and can't wait for more stuffs. Is there a way (or a plan to develop a way) to be an "Observer" in a multi-player match? Specifically, will I be able to observe a dogfight (preferably a head-to-head dogfight) and be able to "trail" one player?

Yes, spectator mode is on the list of things to do. Watching other peoples dogfights strangely engrossing. Sounds like they are heavy into this for the eSports side of things. Chris did comment that all due consideration will be given to avoiding giving out competitive details with this feature. (A few second delay perhaps?)

8:02 Q: As SC is to be a great "sim", can you clarify what a sim is by your definition? Would Freelancer for example fulfill your definition of a sim? Many are currently concerned over the "arcady-ness" of AC, maybe a word from you whether it musters up to what you want it to be would help address these concerns.

All of his games are in some aspects a sim, Wing Commander was far more "arcady" than Arena Commander. Recapped (at length) a lot of what he's said previously. He's proud of where they are, but plan to better both to provide technically accurate and inclusive of many types of gamers. Likely everyone has their own definitions of what a sim is. Won't be able to please everyone.

15:14 Q: In the latest Terra Gazette, a smuggler dumped a live cargo container which had been damaged and leaking 02. Will damage to cargo/container be modeled in game (and possible loss of cargo if it requires an atmosphere)?

Yes you can damage any item. Atmo is not something they've done yet, but likely will happen.

16:20 Q: The Two maps that were released with Arena commander are beautiful and full of detail. I'm wondering, are these maps representative of what the PU will look and feel like, with all the rocks and debris? Or will there also be large spans of open space that need to cross to get from point A to point B? It seems like the best way to show how big the universe is would be to have a lot of "nothing".

Yes the PU will have a lot more space. Needing to get to double precision maps, which would allow the solar system be one map.

18:02 Q: You have stated that there will not be a monthly cost to play once the PU is live but will we still be able to subscribe as we do now? Will there still be a separate store for subscribers and Jump Point magazine, etc. or will subscriptions be turned off and we lose these perks?

Probably would maintain the premium subscriber model, it won't ever be mandatory. But the subscriber community is something he values. Magazines and other communications do cost money and this is a great way to get that paid for.

19:20 Q: Recently there has been an interest in a program called Voice Attack, ... Do you have any plans to implement your own version of Voice Attack or do you think it is possible to work with the creators of Voice Attack?

Seen the videos they are awesome, they are reaching out to the Voice Attack people and considering integrating into the game. "Super-cool"

20:26 Q: Would sustained damage in fights prevent you from landing on a planet? For example if you get into an engagement and lose panels, wings or any other parts of your ship would that be harmful for re-entry and atmospheric flight?

Some debate on the design side. If you make it to orbit and contact the planet they can probably get you down there. May get more nuanced later on after launch.

 

10 for the Chairman - Episode 27
(Citizen Star News) - 2014-06-30 - Chris Roberts digs right into answering our burning questions...



1:07 Q: I am wondering about the ability to tune our ships, I know that there will be a Racing aspect in the game since the M50 and 350R are classified as racing, but will we be able ot fully customize engines and tune our ships as we would tune our cars to get the maximum performance out of them?

Short answer is: Yes! Working on racing. Tuning they've talked about before, overclocking, balancing energy, tuning kit. Racing is planned as a part of Arena Commander.

3:25 Q: Will there be lore specific things hidden throughout the persistent universe? Things that don't necessarily have a monetary value, but will add depth to the galaxy's story and the game itself? Will these things be unique.

Definitely planning to have those things out there. Limited amount of items, might be one of one thing, ten of the other. Not everyone will have "The Ark of Truth". (Stargate SG1 reference?!)

4:59 Q: I have been wondering what happens if we get in a position where we can't afford to replace a part on our ship. Say I have a 325a, I'm down on my luck and can't afford a new replacement wing. However a dealer has a wing from another ship that I can afford, can I attach that wing on my ship, and further than that is there a "fail state" if cannot afford it?

Good question, not sure if you'll be salvaging parts off of other ships. May be able to take a loan out to repair the ship. They may take your ship or come after you if you don't pay.

6:12 Q: What ideas are being fleshed out for various alien ship flight behavior, specifically single-seat ships? Will the DFM incorporate other aliens in the future besides the current Vanduul, and how will they feel different.

Just showed/sold the Xian Scout, in the process of making it hangar and dogfight ready. XiAn much maneuverable and much more a 6DoF ship

7:35 Q: As a design philosophy, what balance do you intend to strike between immersion and fun? For example, will I have to visit the bar every time I want a job, or will I be able to look something up on my MobiGlass and never leave the ship? If I want to load and unload cargo, will...? At what point do you declare immersion to be tedious and cut it out?

Mobiglass will be the primary interface to the mission broker system. There will also be some missions that will require going to a bar or dark alley to start. Cargo in general can be left to automation and NPCs. Somethings like salvaging will be more hands on. Try to strike a balance.

10:20 Q: In your view, is it possible to have a level playing field between someone using OR (Oculus Rift) and someone who isn't? Is it even a desirable goal? If not, are there other ways planned to allow for people to get the most out of innovative devices such as OR without creating competitive imbalances?

Good question, still working on that. OC has it's own handicaps for the moment. OC folks in the office so far are not the best dogfighters at this point.Rift gives you immersion. It's possible that it might give two otherwise equal pilots an advantage to the Rift wearer. They need to do more testing.

12:04 Q: If you discover a jump point and immediately explore the system after the jump, are you able to claim some of the land on any planets inside the system once you report jump point intel to UEE authorities?

Don't have a great answer for that, hasn't been decided if you are even going to be able to own land that way. There may be abandoned facilities or something, but otherwise we'll see. Owning land and that type of thing will probably get into the game eventually but not likely at start.

13:16 Q: I was wondering if the game is going to output telemetry data for advanced sim cockpits with gimbals and MFD's

Weeeeeell, potentially. CryEngine has some support for that. It is a project that they'll play around with. Can't promise it for v1.

14:28 Q: Hello Chris, do you think that the first race course might make it in soon after the DFM v1 or when do you think we might get to "test" racing?

Working on the race course right now. Hope it will make it an after 1.0. May demo it at gamescom.

15:12 Q: Manufacturers continually update their designs or drop them and replace them with newer models. Will ships in SC be built on a similar basis? Where 2944 Aurora gives way to the updated 2945 Aurora. It would be interesting to see if a "classic" ship market emerges or if particular series of ships becomes highly sought after for some reason or another.

Great suggestion! Something they are actually doing. Original Aurora was 2943 and the Legionnaire is introduced in 2944. Will be following the car model. In the spirit and something that they will be doing.

 

10 for the Chairman - Episode 32
(Citizen Star News) - 2014-08-04 - Chris takes time out from Gamescom prep (yes, deju vu from last week) to answer our questions.



Interesting highlights: Battleships! New information about releases Patch 13 (aka Arena Commander v0.9, after Gamescom), and 14 (aka Arena Commander 1.0), and ad hoc groups for Arena Commander Matchmaking.

Notes and Timecodes after the jump.

2:32 Q: Socrates - How important is it to you that this game set a visual standard for modern games? Will you try to make the graphics advanced enough to test enthusiast PCs in 2015?

A: Yes, He Will. Definitely will be pushing the boundaries as he always has. One of the reasons for the choice of CryEngine.

5:09 Q: Premium Shank - Organizational "dues/taxes", will they be to where the payer contributes manually or automatically?

A: Will be an option. Depends on how the org was set up.

5:52 Q: HeadlessChook - Are you able to give some more details on the ship skins available in the pledge store? Will the skins be able to be applied to all ship classes or just the "Original 5"? I have all of them as another way to support and would love to have some more details.

A: Still slightly up in the air. Tech to paint to customize ships. Depends how it turns out, goal is to be flexible as possible but they've not done that part yet.

7:05 Q: Black Dragon - I've noticed a lot of the capital ships are mostly based around carrying and supporting fighters and other craft. Will there be any capital ships that are more firepower based like what you'd expect out of a Battleship or Missile Cruiser? Still holding out for a space yamato!

A: Loved that series as a child. Have a couple of ships on the drawing board that are huge battleships that dwarf the Bengal! There will be some new smaller ships that are "firepower" based as well.

8:07 Q: KitBash - How can we expect Spectrum matchmaking (public or private) to work with groups? Will lobbies or group invites be involved in some way? Will that process change with the addition of multi-crew ships?

A: Yes yes and yes. They are working on supporting all of this. Friends list or ad-hoc groups. Hopefully be supporting 1.0 aka Patch 14. Patch 13 release after gamescom

9:47 Q: Drum - If a Vanduul neutral ship (Banu), or even a Scyth, was just gliding along and minding its own business, is there a possibility that it would be ignored by the Vanduul?

A: Yeeeeah, I mean I think so. Vanduul don't automatically attack everyone. Based on the reputation system. Will be fleshed out in the future.

10:39 Q: Crimson Hawk Moth - I would like to know, how does the entire "here, you fly my ship" work? Is there a contract signing of some sort? If they crash it, does the owner get it back with or without insurance? Is the person you're lending the ship to allow to fly back to the Coordinates of your hangar and land it in place? I would just like to know how all this is supposed to work.

A: Good question, we'll let you know when we figure it out. But they do plan to support

12:01 Q: William George - During the Around the Verse episode 8, we were showing several different potential color schemes for the exterior of the M50. How much control will we have over the look of our ships once the PU launches? Will it be a selection of colors like this or/will we be able to more fully change the color of ships (like custom car painting)? What impact will the 'skins' available for pledging now have, and will they work on all ships equally?

A: Very much like HeadlessChook's question. Pretty much the same answer. May be tint maps with custom colors. May have a selection of liveries. We'll see how this works in the long run.

13:45 Q: SuojaKerroin - Is it possible to get an underwater hangar since we now have plenty of water planets in the 'Verse? If that is not possible how about bigger aquariums to cover entire walls, or any other cool hangar environments?

A: Haven't considered an underwater hangar. Hangar revamps are just coming out soon. There may be other models developed over time. Underwater is a cool concept for the future. Hangar also needs to be appropriate to the planet you are on.

16:04 Q: Almighty Verb - Just wondering about the possibility of finding yourself stuck planetside. If your character is already in severe debt (and can't get another loan as a result), this could lead to some unique and interesting interactions. If there were ways for a player to earn money on the surface, such as courier missions or even just mundane jobs, this could function as a catch-all to prevent bankruptcy and greatly increase immersion.

A: Great idea, Chris has been speaking to Tony Zurovec on how to make missions more interesting and personal. This could fit very well into that. Definitely planning to have some non-ship based jobs. Some of this variety may be after launch.

See Also
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Reddit Discussion

 

10 For the Chairman - Episode 33
(Citizen Star News) - 2014-08-11- Chris Roberts starts this episode by putting away his pen as he's finished signing things for Gamescom prep. Then shows off a few interesting gifts, before diving into to our questions.



3:13 Q: Disco Lando - Have you played any other games with a persistent universe? If so, which ones and for how long did you play them? Which ones did you like? Which did you not? Which ones, if any, have influenced your decisions when it comes to the design of the persistent universe?

A: What defines a persistent universe Demon Souls, but that's light persistence, WOW, EVE Online, RIFT, Guild Wars.

Haven't really played any that have done what he'd really like in a persistent universe. That's his answer and he's sticking to it.

4:53 Q: Strad - In the long-range plans for development do you think there will ever be an opportunity for players to join the game without a ship package and take part in the ground activity, travel via shuttle/liner, take jobs on ship-owner-operator's crews? I think just letting those folks into the universe would win them over into the game as well. Perhaps even a guest account option?

A: Under discussion. Definitely considering. Also for established characters who happen to lose all their money, these ideas would apply.

6:18 Q: Cantara - I was curious if a USER hired an NPC in the PU for a specific task and our ship was under attack, what the response of the NPC would be. Will they continue to do their job or anything else that their employer asks at that time based on their individual skill set and level... or, become unpredictable, perhaps wanting to give up? How human might they be?

A: Good question. NPCs will be run by the same AI no matter whether or not they are "hired". Spend more money on a veteran and they'd be less likely to surrender. Loyalty and skill might accumulate over time when a crew works with you.

8:03 Q: The Arcfade - Will players who focus on Racing be able to achieve some sort of sponsorship with other in-fiction companies and be able to fly those names similar to what NASCAR racers do today?

A: There will be in fiction series that has qualifiers etc. They have considered sponsorships, and may weave that into the lore.

9:10 Q: Biggles19840 - With regards to missile locks has any thought been put into giving different types of missiles different lock on characteristic like in real life? Such as IR missile having a fixed firing cone that locks on immediately with varying degrees of solid or weak locking (think the AIM-9 growl)?

A: Yes. What you see today is only a portion of the missile selection planned. More variations to come.

10:40 Q: Sheppard22 - Will we have to wear universal language translator to understand the alien languages (lets say we hit that stretch goal) or we will have to decipher their stuff like Sumerian tablets, Egyptian hieroglyphs, or how this will work in the PU?

A: You'll hear them speak in their language. There will be language translators you can use. Live vocal translations.

11:46 Q: Robert Lewis - At what ranges will capital shops do combat? Will they be slugfests of a few hundred meters, or will they be far enough apart to use missiles as standoff weapons while smaller capitals operate as mid-range screening forces?

A: Too early to tell, yet to work that stuff out. Also would be up to the commanders to choose range. Some ships might fight better at different range. Again mentions the mysterious battleship. Plan to show more of the cooperative stuff at Gamescom (although not necessarily Capital ships).

13:59 Q: Ajax - I was curious as to the level of breakdown of the mission boards in the P.U. Will organizations have the ability to have a private mission board to setup missions for members to do?

A: Yes. When you set up the mission you can choose the visibility. Public, private to your own org or even subset of your org.

14:45 Q: El Duderino - I was just wondering what number you're aiming at in regards to people/ships occupying the same system or small area in a system? Obviously battles are going to be a big thing, especially when trying to control a certain area or object.

A: Like to be able to get 50 to 100, but not sure what we'll get. We'll have to see how far they can push it. Not likely to be more than 50 to 100, per instance. Thousands in a system, but not going to have EVE style thousands in a battle.

17:13 Q: Uchuu - Concerning exploration game play, what game play elements/mechanics can players expect from an explorers lifestyle? Besides scanning for jump points, asteroid fields, anomalies and derelicts, what other activities can an explorer do?

A: CIG knows exploration is a big thing for many people. So yeah all of those things. Uncharted areas even in populated systems. Also alien artifacts, ruins on planets. Scavenger hunt kinds of things. Maybe some Mass Effect adventures of "substance" down on planets (limited landing areas at least at first).

See Also
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Reddit Discussion

 

10 For the Chairman - Episode 34
(Citizen Star News) - 2014-08-18 - Chris answers our questions. This episode appears to have been recorded before Gamescom, this last weekend.



1:44 Q: FatSoDa - Can you talk about how you will structure the single player elements of the story in game? Where are you drawing inspiration? What is your plan to balance individual achievements against accessibility for everyone?

A: Are we talking SQ42 or single player elements in the PU MMO? SQ42 - Wing Commander narrative. War film style. Will involve a mission that goes deep into Vanduul space and gets weirder and weirder. Mentions Apocalypse Now and Gladiator, so the Vanduul probably won't be the only threat there.

On the PU side, story pieces with characters you can meet based on missions that can be (or at least feel) specific. You won't see 30 other Players come talk to the same NPC on "quests".

5:49 Q: Space_Lawyer - I have a question about ship cargo capacities. How strictly will they be "enforced"? My DUR Freelancer has a stated capacity of 148 freight units of cargo. Will there be flashing red lights and warning sirens telling me that I can't load that much cargo or will I be allowed to load it anyway?

A: Freight units are mostly volume units. So fitting more into your ship will be physically impossible. How much your cargo weighs will be an issue. Your ship will fly differently in space. Not sure if there will be a maximum "Take off" load.

7:48 Q: Jomanda - In "The Lost Generation", the main character observes that the particular interest rate and service fees of a bank are exceptionally high compared to other banks. This suggests there will be more than one bank in the universe. Will this be the case in the PU? Will players have to shop around for favorable interest rates on their loans and fortunes deposited at banks?

A: Yes, they do want variations between different systems. One area of the galaxy may be more expensive to get loans than others. Interest loans and accounts may be part of the way they encourage people to move to different places.

8:57 Q: Sawbones - My question is whether or not it will be possible to play this game as a pure FPS specialist? For instance, what if my character is a terrible pilot and hates flying? Will it be possible to exist planetside engaging only in FPS encounters? Or to be a passenger flying along only as a boarding party member?

A: Think there will be a chance to focus on FPS. You may not entirely avoid flying and still experience the game. There will be an FPS module or extension to Arena Commander that would allow people to simulate FPS in game.

10:10 Q: PhadeOut - A large problem in traditional persistent online universe mechanics is the over proliferation of old items versus new items. To provide relevant upgrade paths and progression without constant power escalation, will we see items deteriorate over time and eventually NEED replacement completely?

A: Yes.

All ships all items will suffer from wear and tear. Some will handle it better. Ships you should be able to fly for quite some time with proper maintenance.

11:50 Q: Logical Chimp - Could you confirm that the 'Full 6DOF' control / IFCS mode will be implemented, and outline how the various IFCS modes are likely to be implemented (IFCS Upgrades, programmable IFCS options, specific IFCS modules limited to certain ships, etc).

A: Definitely doing 6DOF. This is in v0.9 Patch 13. People be able to have all directions and rotations. Sounds like decouple will still exist, vector changes will be additive. Will add strafe to standard mode.

Also may not have all functions always available on all ships long term. May need do to do do navigation upgrades or modules in some case.

15:32 Q: Vanduul Veronica - Will UEE citizens ever be allowed the opportunity to interact peacefully with the Vanduul, or will the UEE continue to force conflict between our two races? I would very much like a chance to engage trade with the Vanduul at some point and to be able to do more with the than simply fight!

A: Generally Vanduul will be hostile. But yes, perhaps they want to buy weapons. Guesses that Vanduul Veronica is not a member of Operation Pitchfork.

16:40 Q: Hubert J. Farnsworth - Can we fight anyone at any moment like in a Bar or in a shop or there is a safe zone on a planet that we cannot attack anyone? On a Planet we can doing a sort of large-scale battle for conquer an enemy outpost or city?

A: There will be safe zones. There will be a brawling melee mode. Fisticuffs may be more accessible. There will be areas are free for alls on the planet. Not planning on anything large scale on planetside for v1. Asteroid bases and assets in space is what is intended for now, on the organizational scale struggles for control.

19:09 Q: Noxheart - I have just read news that NASA tests microwave engine that produces fuel out of empty space, and finds that it works. Will the dev's be considering this, or any other, future engine type that could be discovered or earned as a major achievement reward to reduce costs of space travel?

A: Do read and watch that stuff. Will probably borrow elements for the lore. Will be able to upgrade engines and such, alien tech.

20:30 Q: G.C.G.B Nash - As there are coming more and more ships, what is right now your favorite ship and what will in your opinion the most interesting thing you will be doing with the community?

A: Lots of great ships, Multi-crew with Constellation. Some stuff you've not seen that Chris thinks we are going to find awesome.

Loves to interact with the community, at the events.

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Reddit Discussion

 

10 for the Chairman - Episode 35
(Citizen Star News) - 2014-08-25 - Chris Roberts joins us this week from Foundry42 in the UK.



1:36 Q: - Randi Barsteward - With multi crew ships going to be available on Arena Commander in the (hopefully) not too distant future, have you given any thought to gifting guest passes so we can invite non backers to join us for a week or so?

A: Not going to be available for several months, hopefully by the end of the year. Plan on getting double precision done first. Gift passes, is kind of a cool idea. Maybe crew badges given out by backers. Thanks for the suggestion.

3:20 Q: Machinae - How widespread will corruption be in the SC universe (If it will even exist there). For example will there be police members that may take bribes, or Governors of backwater planets that may add extra taxes or place bounties on people they just "don't like", how strong is the UEE?

A: As a realistic world there will be a certain level of corruption. Much of the "penalties" for wrong doing will be "bribing your way out". Not sure how much more of that there will be beyond some basic mechanics. We'll have to see.

4:42 Q: Quinniqtuq - Can you give us an idea of the percentage of let say light/medium/heavy ships in the Game Universe (so far purchased by the backer)? Will these numbers factor in to the economic model (I would assume there is more light aka cheap models in circulation than heavy).

A: Aurora is by far the biggest, 60 or 70 %. Then 300i followed by Hornet. So lightest is most populous. Yes they will factor in. Numbers of replacement and times will impact replacement.

6:52 Q: Jukebox - Will we be able to board and capture all ships and stations in the PU? What would be the exceptions, if there are any?

A: You'll be able to capture most ships and stations but not all. Some stations are "safe places" like the planetside. (Where the asteroid hangars would be - Ed.)

7:40 Q: Vaelen - How do you implement 3D voice chat? It would be amazing if my friends hear me from the right position.

A: So yes definitely want to do that. Looking into it. Not working right now. Stand by for that.

8:27 Q: GhG - Will there be some built in mechanics in game to punish people with LTI that use their ship as a ramming weapon to destroy other ships constantly in the PU? I don't have any LTI ships and would want to be very careful but I can just see trolling jack [redacted] ramming people for [redacted] and giggles.

A: Yes so. First on Arena Commander looking to find ways to making ramming less prevelant. Replacement times may get longer as those ships are too used. May have some other features to discourage.

9:48 Q: Coldgas - My Question is all about the systems and the universe itself. In our real universe systems with only 1 star (sun) in it are quite unlikely, there are way more systems with 2 or more stars in it. Will we see such twin- or multi-star systems in the game too?

A: Good question. Several systems are planned to have several suns. They do plan on a variety. CryEngine expects a single sun light source so that's an issue.

10:32 Q: Bear - Many HOTAS throttles have dual engine control, and many of the ships (especially the racers) have twin engines. Will we be able to take advantage of this level of control for the appropriate shiptypes?

A: Not right now. Currently treating all ships as having one engine. Longer term can see that happening.

11:04 Q: Darkarma - How are jump point sizes going to be handled? Will it be more or less random for undiscovered systems? Do jump points widen from continuous use over time as trad lanes become established?

A: Will have jump points of different sizes, but they won't widen over time. Smaller ships may be able get an trading advantages on some trading lanes, as they may be able to get places quicker in one jump instead of two or three.

12:21 Q: Lemonsquid - After watching the Connie's commercial, we have been exposed to landing on an unexplored planet which is capable of being terraformed. What will we, the explorer of this planet be able to do. Will we be able to name it, decide what it's worth, decide the fate of preexisting life, etc...

A: Yes, to the name the jump point and star system. No you can't decide the fate of preexisting life. See the fine print of the Connie commercial.

See Also
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Reddit Discussion

 

10 (Five!) for the Chairman Special Reddit Edition
(Citizen Star News) - 2014-09-02 -10 (Five!) for the Chairman Special Reddit Edition

Great questions from the StarCitizen subreddit. Inventory question was particularly interesting to me.



00:10 Q: ForgeIronMadeIt - Has the personal inventory system been designed yet, and what impacts will choice of outfit make? For example, a pilot's flight suit will lack the sotrage capacity that an engineer's overalls would, and combat armor would only be able to carry guns and ammunition.

A: Chris says that the items in your outfit will have a lot of impact outfits will be spec'ed with pocket sizes. T-shirt would have no capability Trousers might have a couple of "size 1". Add backpack or utility belts/vests for more storage capability. Chris didn't much go into weight and encumbrance, as that was a little off topic, but presumably they will be there. Room and Ships also have similar inventory systems.

01:54 Q: MonkeyFetus - How will weapon/part balance be handled in the persistent universe? Will you change the the stats of existing parts equipped to users ships, or will there be legacy items, older models that slowly disappear from the universe as they wear out or are destroyed? I thought it might be neat to have product recalls issued for the most severely overpowered items, due to them mysteriously developing a tendency towards catastrophic failure.

A: Chris thinks this a good idea. Won't be happening in Arena Commander, but for the PU might be a possibility.

3:34 Q: TheWinslow - If you have a hidden org membership, will your enemy NPC organizations (the UEE for example) always know that you are a member of that org and attack you? Or will you have of commit a couple of crimes before the UEE catches on, investigates your connections, and finds you belong to an enemy org?

A: Depends on how "open" you are. If you are careful they won't know.

4:42 Q: Ilves7 - How does ship armor/durability work? After shields go down, do all ships/components have the same level of health or does this vary? Can players adjust values at the price of weight and maneuverability?

A: Ship components do NOT have the same level of health. True for different sections. Add on armor will be a plug in item. Comes with it's own weight. Mass inertia

6:32 Q: Kheldras - Can you tell us more what is meant with the "modularity" of the Caterpillar? Will we be able to carry a variable number of modules, and what modules will be available?

A: A bit early for us to talk about specifically but boarding, cargo, medical, salvage would make sense.

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10 For the Chairman - Episode 36
(Citizen Star News) - 2014-09-08 - Flying Circus Squadron leads off with a very nice gift for Chris Roberts.



3:07 Q: Nogitsune - Can data stored on your ship's computer (such as Central Core Bank Account details, cargo manifest, and jump point navigation) be lost due to object destruction or compromised by a hacker? Would such a hacker require physical access to your ship's computer? What do you envision the hacking/cyberwarfare element of Star Citizen to look like?

A: Still early on this topic. Have been thinking about the Drake Herald info runner and the big ships. Capital ships to have infowarfare "bridge" station. Not sure about hacking personal details. TBD. Who knows? Maybe?

Complete ID theft is devastating in real life so probably not fun in game either, probably staying shy of that.

5:41 Q: Lytspeed - Once the PU is live will we be able to take jobs on board NPC ships? I want to be able to learn as much about the Xi'an, the Vanduul and any other species that are out there as I can, and one of the best ways to that might be as crew on a ship.

A: Definitely be able to take jobs. Can get hired to be a pilot of an NPC ship. Could potentially be able to take other roles. Not ruled out. This will be fleshed out with Tony (Zurovec) as we build out the PU.

7:26 Q: Shadow-Knight - Since we have rovers for some of the Constellations (and maybe other ships as well) will there be different sizes (say hover bike) for other options? Also how big an area do you foresee in game will be able to use these rovers to explore or if you don't want to give a rough early ballpark, how do you foresee us players using them?

A: There will be different kinds of ground transport. On a longer term basis, want to build areas that you can land in and explore. Countryside, ruins in the distance. Not sure how much of that will be in the PU at launch time.

9:30 Q: Terra Opticon - You have talked about the "Slider" in the PU that will govern whether you prefer more PvP or PvE encounters. But, I was thinking how will this work on a Multi-crewed ship? E.g. What if some of the people on board have it set to more PvE and others have it set to more PvP, Who will take precedent?

A: Easy one. Owner/Captain would take precedence.

19:29 Q: Azazel - With the recent addition of racing many questions have come up. One of the biggest concerns, the lack of a jump drive on the known dedicated racing ships. With racing taking place in multiple systems across the verse in the PU, how will the M50, Mustang, and 350R owners get their racer from one system to another?

A: Mustang and 350R will be able to fit a jump drive. Possibly not the M50. But also transporter ships will be able to move them. 890 Jump with an M50 in cargo bay, as an example. Will also be able to hire ships (PC or NPC) to move your racer.

12:00 Q: Failscalator - Will we be able to see our alternative character slot NPC's in our hangar as a living breathing entity, not just a character slot we can customize?

A: Yes. That's the plan. Will try to make sure they have some sense of personality and are fun as well.

13:30 Q: Tabascoid - The Murray Cup Racing demo at Gamescom showed us flying structures and holograms that were used to indicate the course of the race track. Will it be possible for players to rent or buy these devices later in the Persistent Universe to build own temporary racing tracks through asteroid fields, as an example?

A: Pretty good question. Not currently planning on that. Could probably do it, but no currently plans.

14:40 Q: Smart Ace - Do you rely on any Guiding Principles when making game design decisions? You've referenced "this is what would happen in real life" a few times so I take that as one but do you have any others that guide your problem solving?

A: Obviously real life, physics and history, easy answer. Some level of real life, but do want to make the game fun. Focus on the fun stuff rather than the mundane and tedious. Feel empowered and special. Easy at the beginning. Immersion. High fidelity. Accessibility. Depth. "Easy to learn, difficult to master."

20:18 Q: Vaster Holtex - My Question has to do with weapons and damage scales. Will there be physical limitations to the effectiveness of weaponry against various levels of armor? i.e. will snub fighter cannons be ineffective against larger scale vessels?

A: Yes. Think Colt 45 against an M1-Abrams. Ballistic vs Energy weapons are also treated differently.

21:50 Q: CaptainRupnow - Will planets have varying gravity? If I visit a planet with greater, or less gravity that that of Earth, will it affect how I walk on it? Will it slow me down, or let me jump higher? How exactly will this effect combat?

A: Pretty sure we will, hasn't been completely decided. Will support turning off gravity on ships, so you'd think we'd support it elsewhere. Most landing zones would be on fairly earthlike planets.

--

Closing words - Hoping to ship v0.9 this week, knock on wood.

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10 For the Chairman - Episode 37
(Citizen Star News) - 2014-09-15 - Community Manager Ben Lesnick joins Chris Roberts for these weeks episode!



Fun gifts and Ben talks about acquiring a bunch of Wing Commander memorabilia from the Orgin shutdown.

1. 7:03 Q: Deadly Omen - Are there any plans for a more personalized ship-AI? I think it would be great, especially for solo players, to have a "sidekick" AI that could fire off some jokes, tell you about the current system you are in, tell you when players of interest are in the area, give advice etc...

A: Definitely planning to personalize, different voices, later on. Not really doing full sentient AI in SC. Never know.

2. 8:10 Q: Drum - What would happen to your Constellation if the whole crew got into the rover and somehow died planetside in a newly discovered and unreported sector?

A: Respawn with the most recent friendly planet you were on, with the "fiction" that you were recovered by a rescue team. Ship would presumably come too? Chris doesn't exactly say.

3. 8:50 Q: Sindre - Are there any ideas of having incredibly powerful (hostile) space stations in the game? Think of the Death Star as an example. You would have to form a large group (maybe even form alliances with your enemies) to be able to face the large threat. Almost like a raid.

A: Not on the level of the death star, but definitely some similar challenges. Take over spacestation, yes. Take out defenses and deploy boarding ships.

4. 10:10 Q: Holo-san Voidrax - The Murray Cup Racing map, New Horizon Speedway, seems to be a few thousand feet above a planet surface. Are there any planetary gravity or atmospheric effects (e.g. wind resistance) added to the flight physics for that map? If not, would various such conditions be considered for future such conditions be considered for future race courses?

A: Small amount gravity is there. Not sure if there is wind resistance yet. Engine supports it. More of that will come in the future.

5. 11:12 Q: Grimzod - Does this mean block boxes left over from PvP can be used to blackmail said PvPers? By capturing the Black Box of a Pirate's victim can I thine use that BB against the pirate? Pay me X$ or I turn the data in to the UEE?

A: Current thinking is about comm systems in space, at least in civilized systems. Essentially black boxes are external. In border systems or if comms where blocked... not sure if there is really going to be a black box in the ships to recover. Not current thinking anyway. (I do seem to recall black boxes being talked about, perhaps by Rob Irving? Seems it may have been an off the cuff thought or things have changed. - Ed.)

6. 12:53 Q: Lee Warren - For example, let's say some genius on a boarding party decides to throw a grenade into the bridge of a Connie. This might wipe out the captain and crew, but I'd hope that it would also damage the seats, controls, and maybe even the front of the ship. Such a dynamic might discourage players from mindlessly using explosives on a smaller multi-crew ship and making boarding a bit more interesting.

A: Yes, definitely planned that way. You'll want to be careful what weapons you use.

7. 13:35 Q: PurgatorialFlame - As a fellow explorer type, will we be able to capture and document fauna & flora for the galactipedia? If so, could we take this to the next level and potentially sell various species on the black market or to UEE research groups?

A: Very good question. Looking at some level of that. Flora and fauna could be an interesting addition to the list. Exploring and having mementos is what replaces achievements. Ben reminds us that's how we get new fish.

8. 15:05 Q: 22 Actual - Death of a Spaceman mentions that it's possible to have your pod rescued by another player. As a Cutlass owner, will be able to take missions to rescue players and NPCs that ave ejected? Further will rescue missions be generated for Payer and NPC Search and Rescue teams?

A: Yeah, definitely planning on supporting this. Probably would be missions generated for it. Potentially rescuing NPCs and Players.

9. 15:48 Q: LlydM - How are spaceports being handled? When we land at one will we see other players' ships or will we be in our instance until we leave the landing pad? If we are able to see other people's ships, what is to stop someone walking into one of them and flying off? Will we be able to lock them with an access code?

A: Generally you will landing area which you will be alone. You may find places that can see other ships, like large ship pads. It will still be your own space.

10. 17:20 Q: Qanniqtuq - How will the airspace around the planets be handled? Will we need a space traffic controller authorization to land with a specific circuit? How will it be enforced (prohibited to land on a planet if we didn't comply or space pilot license revoked)? Can a spaceport be closed due to a lot of traffic?

A: Most places will need clearances. Ships auto computer will bring you into your landing spot. Won't be able to barge into airspace. There may be "burn up in atmosphere" or police come up to intercept you, kind of thing.

Closing words are about v0.9 and how things are going.

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10 For the Chairman - Episode 38
(Citizen Star News) - 2014-09-22 - After displaying a signed T-Shirt from the German SC wiki, Chris Roberts answers ten questions.



Q1 - 3:40 - Sleeping Dragon - Will Star Citizen landing zones feature the darker establishments that would undoubtedly crop up, such as drug dens, illegal casinos and black market traders?

A: There will be those darker seedier areas in the known universe. Even in Terra there will be almost hidden areas for those aspects. Non-legal missions will definitely feature these.

Q2 - 5:10 - Silent Ruin - If I'm in an instance and decide to jettison my cargo out of sight before I enter combat, but nobody survives, what happens to my cargo?

A: Generally the instances persist for a small length of time, five minutes or so. If no one enters the instance by that time the instance shuts down, and the cargo would be lost.

Q3 - 6:30 - Hux1ey - I love trading and being a market tycoon (Freelancer changed my life btw) and I'm just wondering what the market in SC will be like. Will the market carry most/all items in game? Will prices be player driven? Can players only make a profit by transporting goods to another system or can they buy low/sell high right where they are?

A: Market is going to depend on location. Very unlikely that everything will be available everyone. One of the keys to trading in SC is flying from one place to another to get a thing and taking it to where the demand for that is. There will be an effect of the player base, but the system is designed to avoid manipulation by having the PCs only be about 10% of the economic transaction.

Q4 - 10:00 - ChronosViper - Will you guys consider having a long distance endurance race for larger class ships like Constellations. For example a race across a section of the galaxy with specific check points along the way where would have to make a pit stop to repair and fix your ships.

A: Yeah, great idea. Long distance rallies. Could be fun. Perhaps info runner race.

Q5 - 11:24 - Shalnan - Are shields intended to function within an atmosphere? If so, do they create drag?

A: Yes, they do function. Not sure they create drag. Shields more absorb energy, less keep out matter. As in ballistics, it shouldn't stop shields

Q6 - 12:33 - Harlot - What dangers can we expect planetside when riding a rover or other vehicles?

A: Don't know yet. Longer term want to have fun PVE areas. Random Procedural areas. But not necessarily at launch.

Q7 - 14:19 - Cyrops - How will player bounties be handled in multi-crew ships? If a gunner destroys a friendly ship will the captain be held accountable?

A: Yes, the captain is ultimately responsible. Ship crew could be a small organization. Make sure the people on your ship aren't trying to get you in trouble.

Q8 - 15:44 - F.John - Are we going to be able to give air/space support for FPS missions and/or planet-side war zones?

A: Right now, no. Not something we have plans for. You can give space support for FPS missions... but not all of that. Who knows in five years time though?

Q9 - 16:44 - Krel - How much variation will there be in AI response? If I have a random encounter with a group of AI pirates, will they ever choose to run rather than attack? If I have killed half their team, will they try to disengage and cut their losses?

A: We are shooting for that yeah. Reaction to circumstances is something that Kythera is working on with Tony Zurovec.

Q10 - 18:15 - Balduin - If I am being boarded, can I use a vehicle's mounted weapon to defend myself? If so, can I then accidentally harm my own ship from the inside?

A: If you had a vehicle in your ship ... yes you could. And yes you can harm your ship from the inside. Also true of FPS gunplay.

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@Q4 - I mentioned this in their comments too, but I'm much more interested in a challenge where crews compete within a certain sector of space; solving multiple objectives that test their physical, psychological, intellectual and technical limits, in an "egg hunt"-style quest to secure the prize before rival ships. If you pair gameshows like The Crystal Maze with movies like Hunger Games, you'll know what I'm talking about.

 

10 For the Chairman - Episode 39
(Citizen Star News) -2014-09-29 - Chris Roberts visits upon current space program before digging into answering our questions.



Q1 - 3:40 - The Hound - When you speak of procedural generation for planet side, will the "map" persist for everyone? Or will it last for the time we are in the instance?

A: No. While we are going to have different levels of this (like asteroid belts and "curated" maps), whatever it is ... it will be the same for all players. Procedural is the method by which the area is created.

Q2 - 4:58 - Eddy - Will we be able to manage hired NPCs? For example, can I tell them to take my Constellation to a set planet, drop off some goods, and then come back without me aboard? Or, can I put them in a hornet I own and set them to escort a ship I'm on?

A: Yes, you will be able to manage hired NPC, not sure what level. Issue commands to NPC Wingmen. Hire them to run missions for you, hire them to protect you.

Q3 - 6:25 - BDubz86 - Will organizations be able to establish some type of headquarters? If so how do you envision this developing over time in the PU? Would it be an option for organizations to create space stations in non-UEE space or would there be certain sections on planets possibly dedicated to this?

A: An org won't be able to CREATE a spacestation... at least at launch. Will be able to claim an abandoned station. Possibly buy or rent real estate as well, Guild Halls, factories.

Q4 - 7:55 - CDFWolf - Will there be a ship training school so new players can learn tips on how to fly? This may show them aspects they may have not known about before.

A: Intention in the final game is that SQ42 is the training experience. Arena Commander has an aspect of that as well. The website is planned to have more tutorials as well. Right now things are changing quickly. Getting great feedback. Right now joysticks and targeting are under review.

Q5 - 10:10 - Drunken Friar - Some throttle controllers have multiple throttle inputs. Would it be possible to set each of those throttles to control an individual engine? That way if I need to make a faster turn in my Starfarer I could throttle down the left engine and keep the right one at full blast.

A: Yeah that is interesting. Considering doing that. Should be doable.

Q6 - 11:15 - Chaiman Kaga - Are we able to rent our spaceships to other players? If so, what happens if it gets destroyed while in their possession? Will the insurance still cover it even though I wasn't the pilot?

A: Yes lend, probably rent. Yes the insurance will pay off if someone else is flying it.

Q7 - 12:20 - Lexxen - In the Wing Commander film we saw the Tigers Claw hangar bay hd an environment or atmospheric shield allowing the crew to work in normal conditions while fighters come and go through the field. Will there be any type of airlock field/shield or energy based barrier to perform this same task in Star Citizen on larger capital ships?

A: Yes. Answer is absolutely yes. Bengal definitely has that.

Q8 - 13:05 - Felix - My question has to do with VOIP chat and location based sound fx. Will eavesdropping be possible? Will I be able to hear my mutinous crew's hushed voices echo through my hull? Or listen to big time traders discuss the details of huge mergers and trade deals?

A: Yes do VOIP Chat and location based sound effects. Moving to a new audio engine to help support this. Eavesdropping, could be possible, if your crew is actually conspiring over VOIP.

Q9 - 14:55 - Greenman - In regards to mining, will we be able to refine raw materials ourselves in order to cut out a middleman or will we have to bring them to some planet and pay for someone to refine them for us?

A: So refinery at some point will probably be ownable, either as a planetary resource or possibly shipbourne. Cooperative play will be encouraged, and this is one place where this may come in to play.

Q10 - 17:10 - Damonicas - Will there be gambling in the PU such as high stakes poker?

A: Definitely want to have some of that. Have some equivalent of Las Vegas in space, as well as seedy gambling dens. May not be in 1.0. Is part of the "living breathing universe goal".

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10 For the Chairman - Episode 40
(Citizen Star News) - 2014-10-06 - With little preamble, just a mention of CitizenCon and PAX Australia, Chris digs into answering our questions



Q1 - 1:58 - Marley - While piloting within a star system, how will we know our bearing? Aside from the star map and fast-travel mechanics, will there be a galactic compass, a grid system, or possibly a Z,Y,Z coordinate system to help navigate and identify direction?

A: Navigation starmap. Predetermined navigation points. Will have some sort of coordinate system. There is an underlying X,Y,Z, but still playing with variations. Probably some form of X,Y,Z. Current plan is dynamic systems with orbiting planets which does complicate things.

Q2 - 4:06 - Hell Cat - With salvaging, if we find a military ship, is it possible to salvage it without getting into hot water with the UEE?

A: Yeah, definitely think so. No problem with that.

Q3 - 4:38 - The Tick - While on a mission, would another player be able to complete, highjack, or perhaps destroy your objective? Suppose you are sent to pick up a particular object, but when you discover that it's gone?

A: Probably two kinds of missions, for example a bounty to kill a Pirate Lord... you'd be competing to kill him. Probably other missions that are specific to you. You may have an instance specific to you for the latter type.

Q4 - 6:30 - Moose - Thanks for green-lighting the surveyor/Reclaimer/salvage mechanic. What mission types are thinking might be in the game for salvagers?

A: Space battles, stripping damaged weapons and other parts still useful. Repair style mechanic.

Q5 - 8:20 - Skuripanda - If an Aurora player heads on a collision course with my big expensive ship full of precious cargo on a suicide run but doesn't arm weapons, am I allowed to shoot at him to protect my ship, or will I be automatically marked a criminal, since I'll be technically "shooting first"?

A: In this case they would "determine" whether they were trying to ram you. They'll look at an algorithm for this to try to prevent abuse. ("It's coming straight for us!" *blam* obligatory South Park reference Chris forgot. - Ed.)

Q6 - 9:04 - GhostStorm11 - Will we be able to rent specific items and ship upgrades in game based off a "credit" system? For instance, if I am in good standing with UEE and the banks, I could go down to a special equipment warehouse and rent a mission specific item (like a high end telescope camera for an intelligence gathering mission)?

A: Think that is a good idea. Rent items to each other? Lease equipment or ships is intended. Maybe not right at the beginning.

Q7 - 10:20 - Col. Shaggy - How will the cost of insurance scale in relation to ships? Will an M50 cost more to insure than say a Constellation because the M50 is designed for a much more dangerous usage, i.e. racing versus cargo hauling? Or will it be based on size or ship price?

A: All ships come with insurance. You have to acquire it to fly it, if you don't have LTI. Not sure on derelicts. Some component is cost, some would be role, sports car vs family wagon.

Q8 - 12:08 - General Jack Oneill - Within Star Citizen, there are a variety of water planets in various systems. Will there be underwater worlds with cities, communities and unique opportunities? Perhaps ones that can be visited in special ships that can land in water or unique submersible craft that can be dropped out of a bay?

A: Will be water planets. Not going to do underwater on day 1. Shouldn't be too hard to add later.

Q9 - 13:16 - Scrymgeour - In the PU will it be possible to stay anonymous? Think of "Transporter" - going into a bar, meet the customer, getting paid in cash and then doing a job for him without him knowing who I am.

A: Definitely have a way for you to take anon type of work in the universe. Ways of scrambling your id. Grey missions are intended. Still figuring things out. We'll see.

Q10 - 14:54 - Matt B. Havior - Will we be able to revive players that died, for example 5 or 10 minutes ago and we are near with our hospital ship to apply first aid, from permanent death?

A: Won't have a classic respawn system. If you die in space, you'll be recovered and wake up in a medical center. Future medicine is better in the future than now. There will be ways to patch people up. Field medicine. Recovering your friend and getting him to medical within a reasonable time can help avoid "death".

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10 For the Chairman - Episode 41
(Citizen Star News) - 2014-10-13 - Shot today, Chris recaps the fun of Citizen Con, details the swag bag, goes over his new mementos, and then moves on to the answers our questions.



Q1 - 4:55 - Maggus - With the release of the new development pipeline for ships, has CIG any plans for a ship balance pipeline? How do you see ship balancing going forward?

A: Yes, balancing of the ships is part of the pipeline. One of the checklists of the QA process is now how does one ship compare to each other. Small changes can effect balance and they want to catch them before release. For example, a good Aurora pilot should be able to beat a poor hornet pilot.

Q2 - 8:34 - Beer4TheBeerGod - What role will fuel play in the PU, particularly in the lawless regions? Will access to fuel be something organizations fight over in order to reach the most remote and valuable reaches of space?

A: Boost, maneuvering jets, is finite. But haven't decided about long distance travel. Not sure if you can run out of fuel and be stranded in space. Will probably always be able to move slowly. Harvest from gas giant. Jump drive may have separate fuel.

Q3 - 11:00 - Mahat Boor - With the 890 being released, can you talk a bit about how Luxury Touring/Cruise will work? What's being done to make it feel different from cargo shipping?

A: Biggest difference on the 890 is the focusing on communal areas. Organization ship. Cruising in style. Sight seeing. Pretty well armed.

Q4 - 13:54 - Sidd Vicious - We have seen companies that specialize in making starships, ground rovers and hangars, but will there be "Retro" companies that specialize in "vintage" vehicles like prop-planes and sports cars?

A: Yeah, for example there is a company that makes models for the hangar. Have a huge list of in game corporations that have specialities. More than have been seen. Not sure about vintage vehicles but perhaps.

Q5 - 16:15 - Ram - If my multi-crew ship is facing destruction during a combat will I and my mates have to guess when to abandon ship, or will there be a "Doomed" sequence (ie. a series of minor explosions and / or AI alarm) that will give us enough time to reach the escape pods?

A: There will be alarms. They have considered "sequence destruction" as described, but not sure if it will function like that.

Q6 - 17:25 - Midnite - Are there any plans for missions that require luxury spaceships like the Phoenix or the 890 Jump?

A: Think so. Definitely VIP ferry missions. Rent a Yacht. Just like in the real world. "Charter" missions.

Q7 - 18:40 - Drum - Will someone be able to steal a Mobi-Glass during boarding or FPS activities, and if so will there be a means to insure the MG and maintain a secure backup of the current data within it?

A: Mobi-glass bound to specific bio signature. Turn off like a stolen iphone. Synch'ed to the "Cloud" or Spectrum.

Q8 - 19:35 - Jasper - My org has plans for multi ship expeditions. Will there be a way for individual members to shuttle between ships in the fleet without landing planetside?

A: Yes. Docking collars. Bigger have landing bays. Fleet tenders and runabouts. EVA is also an option.

Q9 - 20:22 - Alpha 17 - How does the hospital ship and the ambulance tie into the death of spaceman mechanic. Will the hospital ship be used as a mobile respawn point?

A: Yes, Hospital: respawn, and fix up critical injuries. Ambulance: patch people up, can save a "life" keep you from burning through your "lives" before ending up in perma-death and end up using an "heir".

Q10 - 21:52 - Mr. J - Could you explain character customization? I know there are many that would like to know if we have near infinite options or if we are going to be limited to a preset amount.

A: Very similar to what you would have in an MMO with good customization. Face- Hair. Debating on how to prevent people from creating non-realistic looking people. Clothes. HATS! Hitech eyewear, google-glass monocles. Maybe tattoos. Also customizations of your ships.

Thank you all, acknowledge hitting $58 Mil. Recapping how cool the demos were and planetside landing, how much cooler it's going to be in the live game.

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10 For the Chairman - Episode 42
(Citizen Star News) - 2014-10-20 - Sunday Night Shoot. Chris gets more or less right to the questions, after teasing us on the next Arena Commander release, featuring: weapons balancing, controls, and HUD. (Happy 42nd episode you hoopy froods! Do you know where your Star Citizen towel is? I do! - Ed.)



Q1 - 3:20 - Brother Maybard - Will we be able to watch planetside weather effects fro space, or will the planets be static art when viewed from space?

A - Good question. Planet Render Element represents the planet in CryEngine. Scale at as you get closer. Custom code that tessellates and keeps the shape. Possible procedural generation. Need some level of this in order to handle such huge models anyway. Cloud layers could be done dynamically. Hadn't thought about it too much yet. But that would be very interesting. Could link to day night cycles and weather on the planetary environments.

Q2 - 6:56 - Jomanda - In the PU demo, I saw a cracked window of "Dumper's Depot". You mention that poorer planets might have graffiti and such, but will the planetside environment actively change when the overall prosperity of the planet fluctuates?

A - Simple answer is yes. Aging is built in to all objects and characters. As well as Battle damage. Economy will drive "renewal" and maintenance. Prosperous colony could be unkempt and dirty, while one that is doing well would be clean and well maintained. Real living universe.

Q3 - 10:31 - The Amazing Flight Lizard - I was wondering if ships that have torpedoes and other guided weapons; if one of the crew positions will be able to guide those weapons to an enemy ship manually?

A - So definitely talking about that. There is a design document for guided missiles for larger ships. Could be a crew station.

Q4 - 11:20 - Firelancex - Is there a compelling reason to land planetside in the 85x instead of the 890, particularly since the 85x can't carry cargo and the 890 can land in atmosphere? What's more, while the 890 is left in orbit, what happens to it? Is it still in an instance? Can it be spacejacked, pirated, destroyed or otherwise bothered?

A - Interesting question. In general we'd normally expect you to land the ship. 890 would defend itself with NPCs or friends. There may be reasons to take the runabout down. Most orbits should be safe.

Q5 - 13:20 - NeoOnyx13 - Will there be "variants" of the mobiglas interface for our characters, complete with upgrades and options?

A - Yes! Like Android or iOS. There will be apps and skins. Multiple levels of functionality/upgrades.

Q6 - 14:10 - Drum - If you are out in the verse and die while eva, what happens to the ship? Does it become salvageable? Does it pop back into your hangar?

A - Would say, you ship would be hanging out in that instance, if someone is there it could be salvaged. If you respawn that is an insurance claim. Ship would persist so your friends could go get it and save you the claim. Do want encourage people to perform rescue and recovery. Looking forward to figuring that out, not fully worked out yet.

Q7 - 16:30 - Capt. Abel - Will repair bots take care of all damage or will there be times that components are so damaged they will have to be replaced?

A - Definitely times when components are damage beyond repair. Also damaged equipment will probably not be able to repaired up to optimal new performance. Repair is "patching" up.

Q8 - 17:25 - Schwarz - How long do you plan an average mission to take in Squadron 42? With 10 missions of 30 minutes the first episode would already be as long as some other single player games.

A - Yes. It's going to be quite long. 50 missions should be close to 50 hours. Missions should be about 30 minutes. And there will be "interstitial" time between missions as in Wing Commander. What we've seen so far is "super cool" and a huge amount of fun.

Q9 - 19:40 - RoJ - Other large MMO games - especially 'single server' sorts of universes have historically seen large groups of players banding together in the name of 'disruptive' behavior. This can take the form of denying an area of the game to other players, controlling the economy, or just generally causing havoc. What are your plans for the Star Citizen universe to accommodate the lone freelance miner caught up in the madness?

A - A couple of things that make SC a bit different, player base is only ever going to be at most 10% of what is going on. Limits the impact of even of a large group. Instance limits will keep from too many people in the same place. Matchmaker doesn't allow any one group to overpopulate an instance. You may or may not be in the same instance even if you are in the same place, like an asteroid belt. PvP slider may affect things depending on where you are in the verse (not that the NPCs won't be challenging, but it could remove you from player opponents). Some protection from people trying to "ruin your day". Do want large groups to be able have an impact and will be doing things to support that as well.

Q10 - 24:22 - The White Knight - Will there be specific missions related to being in prison? Will there be entire Prison Planets or at least Prison Space Stations?

A - Great question. Just discussed that with Tony Zurovec a couple of months ago. Initial idea was, action happens in space, Planet is a glorified shopping experience. While we don't want the planet to be a complete PvP experience are doing more with that. Will make the persistent universe a living breathing universe. When captured you can respawn. But could do thing with prison and potentially break out. Are considering this alternative. Wouldn't make it too hard or difficult. Definitely Prison Space Stations and possibly prison planets. This would be an expansion beyond the initial scope.

Chris closes the show talking up the FPS demo at PAX AUS!

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